Max Headroom made a big impression on me. I first saw him on Channel 4, Britain’s edgiest television outpost in the days before satellite. The word at the time was that he was computer generated, which was not quite the truth. It seems obvious now when I look at Max footage that he’s a latex-encrusted live actor, but it seemed plausible that computers were involved (there was little to compare him to at the time). In fact, even the rotating geometrical backgrounds were created using cel animation. All I knew was that he was cool, sardonic, and apparently free of mortal encumbrances. Max was played by Matt Frewer, and the other day I stumbled across these images showing the distinctly analog process that Frewer went through in his transformation from human to digital personality. I’m fascinated by these shots - especially the fiberglass suit/tie combo. For me, it doesn’t shatter the illusion - it only makes me love him (and the team that brought him to life) more.